Shoulder pad



Jan. 18, 1949. A. INGALLS SHOULDER PAD Fi led Jan. 12, 1946 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 TED STAT as Q H: 2,459,648; I. r S'HGULDER- I 7 Anne Ingall's, Chicago, Ill.- I

ApplicationJanuary-12, 1946; SeriaFNbr 640,744)

inventiomrelates. o' shoulder pads, and it hasiparticularireference to-shoulder. pads designed for wear byr i women on" their shoulders forthe purpose of accentuating their shoulder lines. 'I hesmain objects of? the invention are to provideaarshoulder pad of the character indicated, maybe quickly and-easily associated with the shoulder. straps of other garments for positioning the LPZIEtSi on; the. wearers shoulder to provide a.. shoul'der pad construction whichwill facilitate laundering thereof, and, in general, it is: the object on the invention to provide a convenient. and practicable shoulder pad construction ot the' character indicated.

ome obj ects and advantages will be understood by reference to the following specification ami acc'ompanying drawing wherein there is illustrated a, selected formof shoulder pad con struction embodying the invention.

- Fig; 1' is-a perspective illustrating the applicati'on' of-the shoulderpads to the wearer;

Fig: 2' is aplan view-of the under side of the Figi'3 isa'cross section on the line 33 of-Fig. 2

but showingthe'pa'd as'it would appear when conformedto the'shouldersof a wearer;

Fig."4-is a-section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5;- B-and 7 are illustrations showing the patterns of the elements employed in forming the shoulder pad envelope and 1 Fig; 8' is a section corresponding to-Fig. 3 but showing a: modified arrangement;

" The shoulder pad construction shown in" the consists of a washabletextile fabric envelope embodying top and bottom fabric members= L and 2, which areconnected at their outer edges-by means of anedge strip 3. The edge stripe-is stitched at its longitudinal edges to adja'cent' edges of the top and bottom members I and a as-indicated at 4' and 5 respectively.

' As: shown in Fig: 6, the bottom member 2 is initially-of generally semi-circular form although the rounded-outer edge portion 6 is actually of evaileontom rather than circular. For convenience; the rounded: outer edge may be referred to: asieither'semi-circular or oval. The opposite, inner; marginal edge portion! of the bottom mem ben-z embodies a straight inner edge 8.v

Theztop'member-l has an outer rounded: edge 9:.whiclncorresponds to. the rounded edge 6 of thelowerr member and the: inner "portion thereof presents a substantially rectangular section have ingza .straight-lzinner: edge: .I D and; approximately sqnareiutiendedges; .l l.':-l I ,w th outer ends; at

7. Claims. (01. 2-268 which are joined: to thereundededge otI:the;-inner portion by means; of; substantially stralghtsinner edge'portions:,l2 l2: i The 1 edge .strip: 3;.is an ielongate'd;:.narrow strip having-pits; widest; transverse; dimension approximately midway between its; ends. and gradually tapered-towards its; ends. aswshown -When;:th'e strip 3'-has its oppositearcuate edges. l.3+l13 =united to the edges'llxands 6i ofzthe top; and .bottommemhere: i and. 2., respectively, the" result. will; be anipenvelope .WhiChqiSj: adapted-to .bes' distendede'to present. a wedgehshaped; cross section substantial lm as.=;il1ustra.ted iii-Fig; 31:11

The inner rectangular portion of the topvmemr ber l'-. is; adapted to gbe: .fol'ded upon. itself: about a line,;;such as; represented at [4-, which is. approximately. midway: between the. edges 1 l0 andzl! thereby producing a;.flap-. portion. l5 (Fig; 3..) which underliesthe inner marginal. portion "5:. of. the

bottom; member-t2; The stitching; 5 which unites the rounded inner. edgeof the @member; 2 to. one o-fstthei edges} of: thexedge strip.-3 terminatesras indieatedat. llattther free edge 8 of. the; said marginaltportione M5,; and said-. tree edge: remains unattachedzsto the overlying portion: of .theztop member i so as atorconstitute an; opening afiording access to. the interior: of the. pocketxthus :fotmed'. Any; suitable padding or. :waddingmaterial l Semay be introduced into; or removed .from the. envelop.e through saidopening, theflapw l'5ibeingnof course suitably unfolded. 1 l The end. portions ofetheiflap t5 projectaendwisie beyond the normal, end: edges of. the 1 pad. body as acle'arly; shownrandi the inner edge portionsiof these -.end projections are stitched; or: otherwise united: as indicatedgat l8:- tothe overlying inner edgeportions. l2. of" corresponding end-wise projecting end: portions; of the top: member-r: .l--. Stitching. or; other suitable meansiqsuch asgindicatedgat: 2 0-,; also;ispreferablyprovided fonuniti'iingthe endedgesz of thefiap projectionsl andizthe overlying; projections; of. the -.top member: .I.. At about theamiddle of the flap. t5, .thatsiacentrally of its; ends-; ,it; is provided with a.;snapriasetenerelementrzl whichqis adapted t'ozengagez-a cooperating snap: fastener element; .22; carried; by theshoulder strap 2,3= of a'womanagarment. At

theendso'f the-endwise projectionsv above referred withtsnapi-fastener means-:as'lndicatedat zeror detachably connecting them to the end..'pro:lece tions:.nean'theirzinnemedgesi.-. 'Ihe;loop; straps: 24

are adapted to cooperate with the overlying portions of the shoulder pad to form loops for slidably receiving the shoulder strap 23.

By providing the endwise extensions at the inner side portions of the pad with their shoulder strap receiving loops, the shoulder straps are enabled to easily pull th opposite ends of the shoulder pad downwardly to thereby conform the shoulder pad substantially to the shoulders of the wearer. The lengthened inner marginal portion thus provided overcomes the normal resistance to such conformation which is generally experienced with shoulder pads and the wedge shaped form cooperates with this elongation to facilitate the transmission of such conforming curvature of the inner portions of the pads to the outer portions without an abrupt change. The rounded outer edge shape likewise cooperates with the inner margin elongation and transverse wedge shape to facilitate shoulder conformation offthe pad without any. prominent, abrupt changes in the'shape of the shoulder pad.

engaged to thereby retain the shoulder pad in "overlying relation to the shoulder strap. To prevent'thepad from. sliding r longitudinally along the shoulder strap, the snap fastener 2| is engaged with the shoulder strap carried fastener element 22 which may be so located on the shoulder strap as to position the padinthe desired location. a

Ina modifiied arrangement represented in Fig. 8, the free marginal edge portion lSa of the undermember 2 of the pad envelope is extended into proximity to the line of fold of the flap portion l5 relative to the overlying portion of the top memher I. The end loops 24 are omitted and the flap 15 is provided at its ends with snap fasteners, such as represented at 21 for detachably holding thelflap IS in its'closed position. The marginal portion Ilia is provided with a snap fastener ele- =ment 2|a (corresponding to the fastener element 2|) for cooperating with the snap fastener element 22 carried by'the shoulder strap 23. In this tional snap fasteners, such as indicated at 28, may

be providedalong the free edge of the flap l5 to hold the same in closed position although this is not' ordinarily necessary since, when the shoulder pad is worn, it is normally held in closed position by being confined between the shoulder of the wearer and the overlying portion of the pad. It-will be seen that the pad structure described may be quickly and easily applied to or removed from the shoulder strap of any garment, and that it may be interchangeably associated with any number of different garment shoulder straps. The washable textile fabric envelope may be emptied of its wadding for laundering purposes and the wadding quickly and easily replaced with the same or with fresh wadding whenever desired. Thus the laundering of the shoulder pad is greatly facilitated in that it is not required that the hard-to-dry'wadding material be laundered each time that the fabric cover is so treated. -'Whi1e.anysuitable form of wedding, such as cotton, kapok, or the like, may be employed for filling the envelope and distending it to the desired wedge or other predetermined shape, supplies of such material are not always conveniently available. However, it has been found that it is quite practicable to employ any conventional sanitary napkin for filling purposes, such napkins being susceptible of compression and reshaping as may be required for pad filling purposes. Since various padding materials mentioned are very inexpensive, it is entirely practicable that when laundering the structure, to merely launder the fabric envelope and to refill it with new and fresh padding which may, if desired, be suitably scented.

If desired, the shoulder pad may be worn with the pocket closing flap on the upper side, the shoulder strap being attached by a snap or other suitable fastener to the then bottom of the envelope. When so arranged, there is an automatic tendency for the flap to be held tightly closed.

Various changes in the structure may be made without departing from the invention.

I .claim; r 1. A shoulder pad of the class described, .comprising a flexible material envelope embodying top and bottom walls having outer and end'edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge:of the .pad and free of attachment to said top wall to form an opening affording access to the inside, ofithe envelope, the top wall having an inner edge flap extension folded to underlie the inner marginal portion of said bottom wallvto close said access opening, the pad being tapered in thickness'from its outer edge toward its inner edge and said access opening, and means carried by said flap for. inter connecting the pad and a shoulder strap of a garment to thereby positionthe pad. H 2. A shoulder pad of the class described, comprising a flexible material envelope embodying .top and bottornwalls having outer and end edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge of the-pad and free of attachment to said top wall to form an opening affording access to the insideof the envelope, the top wall having an inner edge flap extension folded to underlie the. inner marginal portion of said bottom wall to close said access opening, and loops carried by said flap adjacent its ends for receiving-the shoulderv strap of a' garment to thereby position the pad and causeits conformation to the wearers shoulder, said loops each havingone end detachably connected to said flapwso as to facilitate insertion of said v shoulder strap between said loops and said flap.

3. A shoulder pad of the class described, com? prisinga flexible material envelop embodying top and bottom walls having outer and end' edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge of the pad and free of attachment to said top wall to'form an opening. affording access to the inside of the envelope, the top wall having an inner edge flap extension folded to underlie the inner marginal portion of said bottom wall to close said access opening, loops carried by said flap adjacent its ends for slidably' receiving the shoulder strap of a garment to thereby position the pad and cause its conformation to the front to back curvature of the wearers shoulder, and means foranchoring the pad to such shoulderstrap againstslidin movement longitudinally thereof. w 4.1A'shoulder pad of the class described, com "prising a flexible material envelope. embodying top and bottom walls having outer and end edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge of the pad and free of attachment to said top wall to form an opening affording access to the inside of the envelope, the top wall having an inner edge flap extension folded to underlie the inner marginal portion of said bottom wall to close said access opening, said flap extension and the overlying portion of said top wall having end portions projecting endwise of the pad beyond its normal end edges, said endwise projecting flap and top wall portions being united adjacent their outer and inner edges, and loops secured to the under sides of said endwise projections for receiving the shoulder strap of a garment to thereby position the pad and cause its conformation to the wearers shoulder.

5. A shoulder pad of the class described, comprising a flexible material envelope embodying top and bottom walls having outer and end edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge of the pad and free of attachment to said top wall to form an opening affording access to the inside of the envelope, the top wall having an inner ed e flap extension folded to underlie the inner marginal portion of said bottom wall to close said access opening, said flap cooperating with the overlyin portion of the envelope to provide a shoulder strap receivingtube for positioning the pad, and means for securing said flap in closed position with said shoulder strap enclosed in said tube.

6. A shoulder pad of the class described, comprising a flexible material envelope embodying top and bottom walls having outer and end edges secured together, said bottom wall having an inner edge adjacent the inner edge of the pad and free of attachment to said top wall to form an opening affording access to the inside of the envelope, the top wall having an inner edge flap extension folded to underlie the inner marginal portion of said bottom wall to close said access opening, said flap cooperating with the overlying portion of the envelope to provide a shoulder strap receiving tube for positioning the pad, means for anchoring the pad to such shoulder strap against movement longitudinally of the strap, and means for securing said flap in closed position with said shoulder strap enclosed in said tube.

'7. A shoulder pad of the class described having inner and outer side edges and front and rear ends, the pad tapering in thickness from its outer side edge toward its inner edge, extensions proiecting from the front and rear ends of the pad, and means carried by said extensions adjacent their free ends for slidably anchoring said extension ends to forwardly and rearwardly spaced portions of a garment shoulder strap which extends over the shoulder of the wearer of the shoulder pad, whereby to eifect conformation of the pad to the front to back curvature of the wearers shoulder, and means for securing the pad to said shoulder strap against movement lengthwise of the strap.

' ANNE INGALLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,162,858 Pankey June 20, 1939 2,365,280 Lahm- Dec. 19, 1944 2,416,415 Stehlik Feb. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 506,608 Great Britain June 1, 1939 207,993 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1940 

